Medicare expert says healthcare reform won't hold down costs

The Affordable Care Act would not keep healthcare costs down, testified David Foster, chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, before the House Budget Committee.

Foster also said that healthcare costs might actually increase if Medicare cuts to nursing homes, hospitals and home health agencies wind up being politically unpopular, the Associated Press reports. These cuts, Foster said, could push 15% of providers out of the business. Additionally, he said that the healthcare law funnels savings from Medicare to coverage for the uninsured.

White House officials have disputed Foster's analysis throughout the healthcare reform process. His assessment came last week in direct response to President Obama's State of the Union address.